Villanueva pushes to expand use of Special Education Fund

PHILIPPINES, October 7 - Press Release
October 7, 2024

Villanueva pushes to expand use of Special Education Fund

Senator Joel Villanueva is pushing for a measure which seeks to expand and maximize the use of the Special Education Fund (SEF) to assist schools in their needed resources and pave the way for better learning outcomes.

Senate Bill No. 2845 proposes to amend the Local Government Code to empower local school boards to use the funds for worthy educational initiatives such as training programs, payment of allowances, purchase of school equipment, among others.

"The lack of resources and infrastructure to support the ideal teaching and learning processes remain the most pressing issues hounding our educational system. One of the ways to address this is by increasing education spending to ensure better education outcomes," Villanueva said.

"We can never go wrong when investing in education and the future of our learners," Villanueva added.

SEF was established through Republic Act No. 5447 as a means for local government units through local school boards "to contribute to the financial support of the goals of education." This is distinct from the budget being appropriated to the Department of Education every year.

At present, under the Local Government Code, the SEF is derived from the proceeds of the one percent (1%) tax on real property, which shall be allocated to the "operation and maintenance of public schools, construction, and repair of school buildings, facilities, and equipment, educational research, purchase of books and periodicals, and sports development."

Under Villanueva's bill, the utilization of SEF is expanded to include the following as determined and approved by the local school board:

- Operation of public elementary and secondary schools, informal and non-formal education programs, early childhood education, special education, senior high school, open high school programs, Madrasah classes and remedial classes;

- Compensation and authorized allowances, training, benchmarking and other benefits of teaching and non-teaching personnel;

- Acquisition of school sites or lands;

- Construction, repair and maintenance of school buildings and other facilities;

- Purchase and maintenance of school fixtures and equipment, including IT equipment;

- Purchase of learning materials;

- Programs for sports, youth formation and leadership development

The bill mandates local school boards to submit an annual report on the collection, allocation, and utilization of the SEF to the DOF, Congress and other relevant agencies.

"It is of utmost importance that continuous innovation and reforms be introduced given the various disruptions that affect learners. The expansion of the use of the SEF will allow the government to invest more in the education of future generations," Villanueva said.

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Villanueva: Palawakin paggamit ng Special Education Fund

Isinusulong ni Senador Joel Villanueva ang isang panukala na naglalayong palawigin ang paggamit ng Special Education Fund (SEF) para matulungan ang mga eskuwelahan sa kanilang pangangailangan at magbigay-daan para sa mas mabuting resulta ng pagkatuto.

Sa Senate Bill No. 2845, iminumungkahi na amyendahan ang Local Government Code para bigyan ng kapangyarihan ang local school boards na gamitin ang kanilang pondo para sa karapat-dapat na mga hakbangin sa edukasyon tulad ng training programs, pagbabayad ng allowance, pagbili ng mga kagamitan sa paaralan, at iba pa.

"The lack of resources and infrastructure to support the ideal teaching and learning processes remain the most pressing issues hounding our educational system. One of the ways to address this is by increasing education spending to ensure better education outcomes," sabi ni Villanueva.

"We can never go wrong when investing in education and the future of our learners," dagdag pa niya.

Itinatag ang SEF sa pamamagitan ng Republic Act No. 5447 bilang paraan ng local government units, sa pamamagitan ng local school boards, na makapag-ambag ng suportang pinansyal sa mga layunin ng edukasyon. Ito ay naiiba sa pondong inilalaan sa Department of Education kada taon.

Sa kasalukuyan, sa ilalim ng Local Government Code, ang SEF ay nagmumula sa nalikom na isang porsiyentong (1%) buwis sa real property, na inilalaan sa "operation and maintenance" ng mga pampublikong paaralan, konstruksiyon at pagsasaayos ng mga gusaling pampaaralan, pasilidad at kagamitan, educational research, pagbili ng mga libro at periodicals at pagpapaunlad ng palakasan.

Sa ilalim ng panukala ni Villanueva, palalawigin ang paggamit ng SEF kung saan isasama ang mga sumusunod sa aaprubahan ng local school board:

- Operasyon ng public elementary at secondary schools, informal at non-formal education programs, early childhood education, special education, senior high school, open high school programs, Madrasah classes at remedial classes;

- Suweldo at awtorisadong allowance, training, benchmarking at ibang benepisyo para sa teaching at non-teaching personnel;

- Pagkuha ng school sites o lupa;

- Konstruksiyon, pagkumpuni at pagpapanatili ng mga gusaling pampaaralan at ibang pasilidad;

- Pagbili at pagpapanatili ng school fixtures at kagamitan, kasama ang IT equipment;

- Pagbili ng learning materials; at

- Programa para sa sports, youth formation at leadership development

Inaatasan din ang local school boards na magsumite ng taunang ulat para sa koleksiyon, alokasyon at paggamit ng SEF sa DOF, Kongreso, at ibang mga kaugnay na ahensya ng pamahalaan.

"It is of utmost importance that continuous innovation and reforms be introduced given the various disruptions that affect learners. The expansion of the use of the SEF will allow the government to invest more in the education of future generations," sabi pa ni Villanueva.